1st Home Tourney-No-Limit Holdem-advice needed

[TenPercenter]

I am going to have a little home game/tourney soon. I used to have a regular quarter-ante game (dealer's choice) but never anything structured like this. I want to make sure I've covered all bases.

Here's what I have set in stone so far:

- $100 buyin, no rebuys
- Ten players
- No-limit, Texas Holdem
- Play continues until one player holds all the chips.
- I have 1300 chips: 750 red, 150 white, 150 blue, others in various colors. Is that enough?

There are some unknowns I need to consider:

- How much should we make the blinds?
- Is there a point when blinds should go higher?
- How strict should I be on rules? (these guys will have never played anything but Friday-Night-Poker) (ie: Charge a blind whenever a guy comes back from a smoke/beer/piss?)

Maybe there are other tips you can give me? Things that a first-timer would often forget?

Thanks a lot,

Greg

[pauly2x]

Start with T2000 ($2,000 in tournament chips)... two $500 chips, eight $100 chips and eight $25 chips. Start the blinds at $25 and $50 and double them every 30 minutes. If you want the game to last longer, you could start the blinds at $25 and $25 or double them every hour or 45 minutes. With 10 people, your game will probably last 2-3 hours. The smaller you start the blinds and/or longer between times when you raise them, the longer your game will be. This amount of chips is enough to give players an adequate stack to start and stick around for awhile. Whatever house rules you establish, stick with them. Be consistent.

As far as people getting up to go get a beer or use the bathroom, you have a few options. Most tournaments will have breaks at various times (usually at a blind change) where everyone can get up, stretch out, go smoke, whatever. Generally you don't want to stop the game if a player has to go to the little boys' room or take a phone call because you're raising the blinds at a certain time interval. If a player does get up during play, you always deal them a hand. If they aren't there to play it, they are automatically folded. If they are a blind, they *always post the blind* and are folded. Basically, they forfeit that hand. Every player is dealt cards on every hand, even if they aren't there to play it. Unlike in a cash game, you can't miss a blind. You should post that player's blind and fold their hand.

It is important to be consistent and strict in enforcing rules. That being said, poker is meant to be fun. Enjoy hosting your tournament and do what you can to make sure your players have a good time.

[Runner Runner]

Here's what I think is the best way to do the no limit structure with the chips you have:

Everyone starts with T200, whites are worth T1, reds T5, blues T25. Everyone therefore starts with 20 whites and 36 reds. You bring the blues in later. Use the following levels for blinds:
Level Blinds
Level 1 1-2
Level 2 2-4
Level 3 3-6
Level 4 5-10 (color up here, whites turn into blues)
Level 5 10-20
Level 6 15-30
Level 7 25-50 (color up here, reds turn into blues)
Level 8 50-100
Level 9 100-200

If you want a nice long tournament with lots of play that will last 5 or 6 hours, make each level last an hour. If you want to be done in 3 hours, make each level last half an hour. If someone misses a blind, make them post so as to be fair to the rest of the table. Also, in order to be fair you might want to use a timer with a buzzer so that the blinds go up right when the buzzer goes off so you don't get guys whining that the blinds always go up when its there turn to post. Have fun.

[JamesJewart]

What: No Limit Holdem Tournament
When: Aug 16, 5:00 pm
Where: James and Shannon's House

Buy-In: $20.00 ($2,000 Tournament Chips)
Re-Buys: $10.00 ($1,000 Tournament Chips) Unlimited 1st hour. No Re-Buys after the 1st Hour. Must Be Below $1,000 in Tournament Chips

Payout: Payouts based on number of entries.

Tournament Play:

i. Less Than 11 Players
Tournament play will take place at a single table with a single deck, as per poker play. Players will draw cards to determine their seats, as well as who will deal first.

ii. 12 - 22 Players
Tournament play will be conducted on two tables with a single deck each. Players will draw cards to determine their seats, as well as who will deal first. When the difference of players at each table reaches two. The players, excluding the low and high chip players, at the table with the greater number of players, will draw cards. The player with the lowest card drawn will transfer to the other table.

iii. 22 + Players

Same rules apply as ii. Players will be evenly distributed among more tables.


When play gets down to ten players, all players will move to a final table. Positions will be redrawn from cards.

Basic Rules:

1. Cards speak for themselves.
2. Mucked cards cannot be retrieved from the pile.
3. If a card is exposed during the deal, the deal is declared a misdeal and the hand is re-dealt. The button does not move.
4. If a burn card or a mucked card is exposed, the card is made available to the table. The hand is not re-dealt.
5. If a Community card is exposed prior to the action being completed. The card remains as is. It will not be burned. (This is a result of our last tournament) LOL
6. Agreements can be made at anytime to split the payout. But must be agreed to by all the remaining players.
7. No dealer abuse will be tolerated.
8. All other tournament and poker rules apply.
9. REMEMBER THIS IS FOR FUN!


Tournament structure: 15 min levels.
Level Ante SB BB
1 0 25 50
2 0 25 50
3 0 25 50
4 0 50 100
10 Min Break
5 0 75 150
6 0 100 200
7 25 100 200
8 50 150 300
10 Min Break
9 50 200 400
10 100 300 600
11 100 400 800
12 200 500 1000
10 Min Break
13 200 800 1600
14 300 1000 2000
15 500 1500 3000
16 1000 2000 4000
10 Min Break
17 1000 3000 6000
18 1500 5000 10000
19 1500 8000 16000
20 2000 10000 20000
10 Min Break
21 3000 15000 30000
22 5000 20000 40000
23 10000 30000 60000
24 10000 40000 80000
10 Min Break
25 20000 50000 100000
26 25000 75000 150000
27 30000 100000 200000